Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease, affecting up to 10 % of the general population in developed countries. Corticosteroids are necessary to control symptoms, but induce adverse events sometimes intolerable. In severe asthma, which represent 5 to 10% of global asthma, corticosteroids frequently fail to prevent severe exacerbations, leading to emergency care, hospitalization and sometimes death. The aim of this study is to identify predictive factors specific for exacerbation outcome which will lead to a minor increase in treatment in order to prevent exacerbations, while minimizing drug adverse effects.

Number of predictive factors for exacerbation outcome in severe asthmatics. [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Secondary Outcome Measures:

Rate of predictive factors identified in the study, in order to prevent exacerbations. [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Enrollment:

40

Study Start Date:

June 2008

Study Completion Date:

May 2011

Primary Completion Date:

May 2011 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

Intervention Details:

Other: spirometry, and blood taken

each month during one year

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years to 90 Years

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Sampling Method:

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients with severe asthma

Criteria

Inclusion criteria :

Male or female adults aged ≥ 18 years, who have signed an Inform Consent Form prior to initiation of any study-related procedure

Patients with severe asthma with at least 2 exacerbations during the last 12 months that necessitated oral cortico-therapy or increase in oral cortico-therapy

Exclusion criteria :

Pregnant or nursing women

Patients with other chronic inflammatory lung disease

Current smoker or a smoking history of 10 pack years or more

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00721097